Manuel Herreros Casas, also known as "Champi", (born on 20 April 1963 in

Villarrobledo Villarrobledo () is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Albacete, part of the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha. It's better known for having the world's largest area covered by vineyards (more than 30,000 has., approxi ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

) is a former Grand Prix

motorcycle A motorcycle (motorbike, bike; uni (if one-wheeled); trike (if three-wheeled); quad (if four-wheeled)) is a lightweight private 1-to-2 passenger personal motor vehicle Steering, steered by a Motorcycle handlebar, handlebar from a saddle-style ...

road racer. He was the

1989 1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...

F.I.M. 80cc world champion. He is the last 80 cc world champion, as the class was discontinued after the 1989 season. He was Spanish national champion ('' Campeonato de España de Velocidad'') in the 80 cc class in 1987.

Career

Herreros was a competitor in a total of 62 races in

Grand Prix motorcycle racing Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the highest class of motorcycle road racing events held on Road racing, road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held sin ...

between 1984 and 1991, and won the Grand Prix world champion title in the 80 cc class in 1989, without having won a race during the season. Herreros took the victory during the 1986 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season in the

German motorcycle Grand Prix The German motorcycle Grand Prix, first held in 1925, is a motorcycling event that is part of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. The event is due to take place at the Sachsenring until at lea ...

and during the 1987 season in the San Marino GP each in the 80 cc class. His only podium finish in the 125 cc occurred in the 1988 Nations motorcycle Grand Prix race at

Imola Imola (; or ) is a city and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, located on the river Santerno, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. The city is traditionally considered the western entrance to the historical region Romagna ...

Awards and recognition

Herreros retired from competition in 1991 and since then has been engaged in directing his race team. Throughout his career, he has received several awards in recognition of his civic and sporting achievements, such as ''Medalla al Mèrit Esportiu'' (1989), the ''Insígnia d'or de l'Ajuntament de Torrent'' (4 March 2002), and the ''l'Homenatge de l'Associació de Veïns Nicolàs Andreu de Torrent'' (15 August 2006). He is an honorary member of

UNICEF UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...

. Herreros was selected to participate in a "Lap Of Honor" with other famed riders ( John McGuinness, Phillip McCallen, Freddie Spencer, Phil Read, Michael Dunlop,

Giacomo Agostini Giacomo Agostini (; born 16 June 1942) is an Italian former professional motorcycle road racer and racing team manager. He competed in the FIM Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1963 to 1977, most prominently as a member of ...

and others) at the 2013 Isle of Man TT.

References

External links

* 1963 births Living people Sportspeople from the Province of Albacete Spanish motorcycle racers 125cc World Championship riders 80cc World Championship riders {{Spain-sport-bio-stub